For all Alerts and Messages from the U.S. Embassy Bern, please click here

In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.

International commercial flight options currently exist in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements as soon as possible unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. The U.S. government does not anticipate arranging repatriation flights in Switzerland and Liechtenstein at this time.

In furtherance of Presidential Proclamations 9984, 9992, 9993, and 9994 which bans the entry of non-U.S. citizens who are from or recently been in China, Iran, or certain European countries, the Department of Homeland Security issued a Notice of Arrival Restrictions requiring American citizens, legal permanent residents, and their immediate families who are returning

Presidential Proclamation 9984 restricts and suspends the entry into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, of all aliens who were physically present within the Schengen Area (which includes Switzerland and Lichtenstein) during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States.

This proclamation does not apply to:

U.S. citizens

Lawful permanent residents (LPR) of the United States

Children of a U.S. citizen or LPR

Spouses of U.S. citizens and LPRs

Parents or legal guardians of unmarried U.S. citizen or LPR children under 21 years of age

Foreign government officials and their immediate family members on official travel

There is the possibility to enter Switzerland for important business appointments which cannot be postponed and have to be in person. At the moment a special entry permit is needed to enter Switzerland for business travel. This application can be sent directly to corona@sem.admin.ch, including for example the following documents: appointment confirmation, copy of passport, travel itinerary, reason for urgency of appointment / visit, reason for the need to be present personally, and alike.

It must be presented before boarding a ferry, train or plane to France, and again upon arrival.

The traveler is required to declare their purpose for traveling to or through France.

The form is signed by the traveler and does not require endorsement from the Embassy.

The authorized scenarios include transit as previously defined – Individuals in transit to reach their country of origin who are holders of a travel document to their country of origin and remaining in the international area with no intention to enter the national territory”.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] requirements for importing human remains depend upon if the body has been embalmed, cremated, or if the person died from a quarantinable communicable disease.

At this time, COVID-19 is a quarantinable communicable disease in the United States and the remains must meet the standards for importation found in 42 Code of Federal Regulations Part 71.55 and may be cleared, released, and authorized for entry into the United States only under the following conditions:

The remains are cremated; OR

The remains are properly embalmed and placed in a hermetically sealed casket; OR

The remains are accompanied by a permit issued by the CDC Director. The CDC permit (if applicable) must accompany the human remains at all times during shipment.

Permits for the importation of the remains of a person known or suspected to have died from a quarantinable communicable disease may be obtained through the CDC Division of Global Migration and Quarantine by calling the CDC Emergency Operations Center at 770-488-7100 or emailing dgmqpolicyoffice@cdc.gov.

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) is responsible for public health in Switzerland; it develops Switzerland’s health policy and works to ensure that the country has an efficient and affordable healthcare system in the long term. Find out everything you need to know about its tasks and the objectives of its work here: Federal Office of Public Health

For information about the Office of Public Health in Liechtenstein (Amt für Gesundheit), click here

Find your nearest specialist or general practitioner quickly and free of charge: doctorfmh.ch is the official, comprehensive list of doctors in Switzerland. With more than 30,000 entries, it is updated daily.

The cantonal authorities are responsible for many matters/tasks relating to the coronavirus outbreak. Links to cantonal websites can be found at ch.ch, where you will find information on the new coronavirus along with relevant contact details.

Self-quarantine and social distancing help reduce the spread of COVID-19, but for many dealing with domestic violence, staying home may put people at risk. External factors such as financial strain and stress compound the issue, and when the community is encouraged to remain in their homes, an abuser may take advantage of an already harmful situation. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, call 117 in an emergency and visit Victim Support Switzerland

Keep your distance from other people. Infection with the new coronavirus can occur through close (less than 2 metres) contact with someone who is already infected. You can protect yourself and others by keeping your distance.

Avoid groups of people.

Leave space between you and the person in front of you when standing in line (for example at the checkout, post office or canteen).

The public transport network is vital to the functioning of the economy, and is relied on by many people. The basic service will therefore be provided as normal. However, if a lot of people use public transport at the same time, they cannot keep their distance from each other and so risk becoming infected with the new coronavirus.

Avoid using public transportIf possible, walk or ride to work.
If you have to use public transport, follow the rules on hygiene and social distancing.

Depending on what we have just touched, our hands are not clean. Infectious droplets from coughing and sneezing can get onto your hands. They can then get into your system when you touch your mouth, nose or eyes. It’s therefore important not to shake hands. We can also protect ourselves from infection by:

Blowing your nose, sneezing, spitting and coughing can all spread viruses if you don’t follow the rules.

How can I reduce or avoid the risk of spreading the virus?

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, ideally with a paper tissue.

If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the crook of your arm rather than into your hands. If you do use your hands, wash them thoroughly with water and soap immediately af-terwards if possible.

Please note:

Carry on working from home if you are able to do. That way you are reducing your interaction with others and preventing the spread of the virus.

Employers must establish a set of precautionary measures for employees in the workplace to ensure that hygiene and social distancing rules can be observed.

Employers must allow people at especially high risk to work from home. If a person at especially high risk is only able to carry out their work at the workplace, the employer must make every effort to ensure that the recommended rules on hygiene and social distancing (washing hands and keeping distance) can be respected. If an employer is unable to fulfil those requirements, they must place the employee on leave while continuing to pay their wages.

The following resources are available to ensure you have food and other necessities for daily life, even when in confinement.

Migros, Coop, Denner, Lidl, Aldi, SPAR can be found throughout Switzerland and Liechtenstein and are usually open from Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 7 pm. Bigger train stations, airports and tourist areas offer extensive opening hours and Sunday shopping.

Pet-owners are allowed to take their pet for a walk in their neighborhood, provided they keep a safe distance from others. You should have a plan for your pet if you get sick and are unable to provide care. Have extra food on hand and be ready to make the handover if necessary. Pet food can be purchased at any bigger grocery store. Alternatively, Fressnapf and Qualipet remain open. Most vets are not performing elective services at this time. Many of the vets that remain open have changed their hours and procedures. Conduct an online search to see vets and their services in your area.

Travelers and residents are urged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. The Department uses these Alerts to convey information about terrorist threats, security incidents, planned demonstrations, natural disasters, etc.

Additional Resources

STEP - Stay Informed

Disclaimer

The listing and links on this page are provided as a point of reference and is not intended to be exhaustive. The inclusion of a specific company or organization does not constitute a recommendation and the Department of State assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by the company or organization whose names appear on such lists.

U.S. Virtual Mission

This is the official website of the U.S. Embassy in Switzerland & Liechtenstein. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.